Book of Church Order

Part 3 – The Directory for the Worship of God

Temporary statement adopted by the Third General Assembly to preface the Directory for Worship:  The Directory for Worship is an approved guide and should be taken seriously as the mind of the Church agreeable to the Standards.  However, it does not have the force of law and is not to be considered obligatory in all its parts.  BCO 56, 57 and 58 have been given full constitutional authority by the Eleventh General Assembly after being submitted to the Presbyteries and receiving the necessary approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbyteries.  BCO 59-3, as amended, has been given full constitutional authority by the Forty-seventh General Assembly after being submitted to the Presbyteries and receiving the necessary approval of two-thirds (2/3) of the Presbyteries.

Includes all amendments approved up to and including the 51st General Assembly held in Richmond, Virginia, June 11-14, 2024

CHAPTER 47 The Principles and Elements of Public Worship

CHAPTER 48 The Sanctification of the Lord’s Day

CHAPTER 49 The Ordering of Public Worship

CHAPTER 50 The Public Reading of the Holy Scriptures

CHAPTER 51 The Singing of Psalms and Hymns

CHAPTER 52 Public Prayer

CHAPTER 53 The Preaching of the Word

CHAPTER 54 The Worship of God by Offerings

CHAPTER 55 Confessing the Faith

CHAPTER 56 The Administration of Baptism (The Baptism of Infants and Children)

CHAPTER 57 The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances

CHAPTER 58 The Administration of the Lord’s Supper

CHAPTER 59 The Solemnization of Marriage

CHAPTER 60 The Visitation of the Sick

CHAPTER 61 The Burial of the Dead

CHAPTER 62 Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving

CHAPTER 63 Christian Life in the Home

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

The Principles and Elements of Public Worship

47-1. Since the Holy Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice, the principles of public worship must be derived from the Bible, and from no other source.

The Scriptures forbid the worshipping of God by images, or in any other way not appointed in His Word, and requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in His Word (WSC 51, 50).

47-2. A service of public worship is not merely a gathering of God’s children with each other, but before all else, a meeting of the triune God with His chosen people.  God is present in public worship not only by virtue of the Divine omnipresence but, much more intimately, as the faithful covenant Savior.  The Lord Jesus Christ said:  “Where two or three are gathered together in My name there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

47-3. The end of public worship is the glory of God.  His people should engage in all its several parts with an eye single to His glory.  Public worship has as its aim the building of Christ’s Church by the perfecting of the saints and the addition to its membership of such as are being saved — all to the glory of God.  Through public worship on the Lord’s day Christians should learn to serve God all the days of the week in their every activity, remembering, whether they eat or drink, or whatever they do, to do all to the glory of God  (1 Corinthians 10:31).

47-4. Public worship is Christian when the worshippers recognize that Christ is the Mediator by whom alone they can come unto God, when they honor Christ as the head of the Church, who rules over public worship, and when their worship is an expression of their faith in Christ and of their love for Him.

47-5. Public worship must be performed in spirit and in truth.  Externalism and hypocrisy stand condemned.  The forms of public worship have value only when they serve to express the inner reverence of the worshipper and his sincere devotion to the true and living God.  And only those whose hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit are capable of such reverence and devotion.

47-6. The Lord Jesus Christ has prescribed no fixed forms for public worship but, in the interest of life and power in worship, has given His Church a large measure of liberty in this matter.  It may not be forgotten, however, that there is true liberty only where the rules of God’s Word are observed and the Spirit of the Lord is, that all things must be done decently and in order, and that God’s people should serve Him with reverence and in the beauty of holiness.  From its beginning to its end a service of public worship should be characterized by that simplicity which is an evidence of sincerity and by that beauty and dignity which are a manifestation of holiness.

47-7. Public worship differs from private worship in that in public worship God is served by His saints unitedly as His covenant people, the Body of Christ.  For this reason the covenant children should be present so far as possible as well as adults.  For the same reason no favoritism may be shown to any who attend.  Nor may any member of the church presume to exalt himself above others as though he were more spiritual, but each shall esteem others better than himself.

47-8. It behooves God’s people not only to come into His presence with a deep sense of awe at the thought of His perfect holiness and their own exceeding sinfulness, but also to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise for the great salvation, which He has so graciously wrought for them through his only begotten Son and applied to them by the Holy Spirit.

47-9. The Bible teaches that the following are proper elements of worship service:  reading of Holy Scripture, singing of psalms and hymns, the offering of prayer, the preaching of the Word, the presentation of offerings, confessing the faith and observing the Sacraments; and on special occasions taking oaths.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The Sanctification of the Lord’s Day

48-1. “The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself.”  (WSC 58).

48-2. God commanded His Old Testament people to keep holy the last day of the week, but He sanctified the first day as the Sabbath by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.  For this reason the Church of the new dispensation has from the time of the apostles kept holy the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day.

48-3. It is the duty of every person to remember the Lord’s Day; and to prepare for it before its approach.  All worldly business should be so ordered, and seasonably laid aside, as that they may not be hindered thereby from sanctifying the Sabbath, as the Holy Scriptures require.

48-4. The whole day is to be kept holy to the Lord; and to be employed in the public and private exercises of religion.  Therefore, it is requisite, that there be a holy resting, all the day, from unnecessary labors; and an abstaining from those recreations which may be lawful on other days; and also, as much as possible, from worldly thoughts and conversation.

48-5. Let the provisions for the support of the family on that day be so ordered that others be not improperly detained from the public worship of God, nor hindered from sanctifying the Sabbath.

48-6. Let every person and family, in the morning, by secret and private prayer, for themselves and others, especially for the assistance of God to their minister, and for a blessing upon his ministry, by reading the Scriptures, and by holy meditation, prepare for communion with God in his public ordinances.

48-7. Let the time not used for public worship be spent in prayer, in devotional reading, and especially in the study of the Scriptures, meditation, catechising, religious conversation, the singing of psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs; visiting the sick, relieving the poor, teaching the ignorant, holy resting, and in performing such like duties of piety, charity, and mercy.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

The Ordering of Public Worship

49-1. When the congregation is to meet for public worship, the people (having before prepared their hearts thereunto) ought all to come and join therein; not absenting themselves from the public ordinances through negligence, or upon pretence of private meetings.

49-2. Let the people assemble at the appointed time, that all being present at the beginning they may unite with one heart in all the parts of public worship.  Let none unnecessarily depart until after the blessing be pronounced.

49-3. Let the people upon entering the church take their seats in a decent and reverent manner, and engage in a silent prayer for a blessing upon themselves, the minister, and all present, as well as upon those who are unable to attend worship.

49-4. All who attend public worship are expected to be present in a spirit of reverence and godly fear, forbearing to engage in any conduct unbecoming to the place and occasion.  Since the family, as ordained by God, is the basic institution in society, and God in the Covenant graciously deals with us, not just as individuals but also as families, it is important and desirable that families worship together.

CHAPTER FIFTY

The Public Reading of the Holy Scriptures

50-1. The public reading of the Holy Scriptures is performed by the minister as God’s servant.  Through it God speaks most directly to the congregation, even more directly than through the sermon.  The reading of the Scriptures by the minister is to be distinguished from the responsive reading of certain portions of Scripture by the minister and the congregation.  In the former God addresses His people; in the latter God’s people give expression in the words of Scripture to their contrition, adoration, gratitude and other holy sentiments.  The psalms of Scripture are especially appropriate for responsive reading.

50-2. The reading of the Holy Scriptures in the congregation is a part of the public worship of God and should be done by the minister or some other person.

50-3. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments shall be read from a good translation, not a paraphrase, in the language of the people, that all may hear and understand.

50-4. How large a portion shall be read at once is left to the discretion of every minister; and he may, when he thinks it expedient, expound any part of what is read; always having regard to the time, that neither reading, singing, praying, preaching, nor any other ordinance, be disproportionate the one to the other; nor the whole rendered too short, or too tedious.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

The Singing of Psalms and Hymns

51-1. Praising God through the medium of music is a duty and a privilege.  Therefore, the singing of hymns and psalms and the use of musical instruments should have an important part in public worship.

51-2. In singing the praises of God, we are to sing in the spirit of worship, with understanding in our hearts.

51-3. It is recommended that Psalms be sung along with the hymns of the Church, but that caution be observed in the selection of hymns, that they be true to the Word.  Hymns should have the note of praise, or be in accord with the spirit of the sermon.

51-4. The leadership in song is left to the judgment of the Session, who should give careful thought to the character of those asked to lead in this part of worship, and the singing of a choir should not be allowed to displace congregational singing.

51-5. The proportion of the time of public worship given to praise is left to the judgment of the minister, and the singing of psalms and hymns by the congregation should be encouraged.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Public Prayer

52-1. It is proper to begin the public worship in the sanctuary with the Doxology followed by a short prayer, in which the minister shall lead the people, humbly adoring the infinite majesty of the living God, expressing a sense of our distance from Him as creatures, and our unworthiness as sinners; and humbly imploring His gracious presence, the assistance of His Holy Spirit in the duties of His worship, and His acceptance of us through the merits of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is appropriate that this prayer conclude with the Lord’s Prayer in which all may unite.

52-2. Then, after singing a psalm, or hymn, it is proper that, before the sermon, there should be a full and comprehensive prayer: 

a. Adoring the glory and perfections of God, as they are made known to us in the works of creation, in the conduct of Providence, and in the clear and full revelation He has made of Himself in His written words;

b. Giving thanks to Him for all His mercies of every kind, general and particular, spiritual and temporal, common and special; above all, for Christ Jesus, His unspeakable gift, the hope of eternal life through Him, and for the mission and work of the Holy Spirit;

c. Making humble confession of sin, both original and actual, acknowledging, and endeavoring to lead the heart of every worshipper with a deep sense of the evil of all sin, as such, as being a departure from the living God; and also taking a particular and affecting view of the various fruits which proceed from this root of bitterness; as sins against God, our neighbor and ourselves; sins in thought, in word, and in deed; sins secret and presumptuous; sins accidental and habitual.  Also, the aggravations of sin, arising from knowledge, or the means of it; from distinguishing mercies; from valuable privileges; from breach of vows, etc.;

d. Making earnest supplication for the pardon of sin, and peace with God, through the blood of the atonement, with all its important and happy fruits; for the Spirit of sanctification, and abundant supplies of the grace that is necessary to the discharge of our duty; for support and comfort, under all the trials to which we are liable, as we are sinful and mortal; and for all temporal mercies that may be necessary in our passage through this valley of tears; always remembering to view them as flowing in the channel of covenant love, and intended to be subservient to the preservation and progress of the spiritual life;

e. Pleading from every principle warranted in Scripture; from our own necessity; the all-sufficiency of God; the merit and intercession of our Saviour; and the glory of God in the comfort and happiness of His people;

f. Intercession and petition for others, including the whole world for mankind; for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh; for the peace, purity, and extension of the Church of God; for ministers and missionaries in all lands; for all who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for the particular church then assembled, and all other churches associated in one body with it; for the sick, dying, and bereaved; for the poor and destitute; for strangers, for prisoners, the aged and the young; for those who travel; for the community in which the church is situated; for civil rulers; and for whatever else may seem to be necessary or suitable to the occasion. 

The prominence given each of these topics must be left to the discretion of the minister.

52-3. Ordinarily there should be prayer after the sermon having relation to the subject that has been treated in the discourse; and all other public prayers should be appropriate to the occasion.

52-4. Ministers are not to be confined to fixed forms of prayer for public worship, yet it is the duty of the minister, previous to entering upon his office, to prepare and qualify himself for this part of his work, as well as for preaching.  He should, by a thorough acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, by the study of the best writers on prayer, by meditation, and by a life of communion with God, endeavor to acquire both the spirit and the gift of prayer.  Moreover, when he is to offer prayer in public worship, he should compose his spirit, and so order his thoughts, that he may perform this duty with dignity and propriety, and with profit to the worshippers, lest he disgrace this important service by coarse, undignified, careless, irregular or extravagant expressions.

52-5. All prayer is to be offered in the language of the people.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

The Preaching of the Word

53-1. The preaching of the Word is an ordinance of God for the salvation of men.  Serious attention should be paid to the manner in which it is done.  The minister should apply himself to it with diligence and prove himself a “worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”  (2 Timothy 2:15).

53-2. The subject of a sermon should be some verse or verses of Scripture, and its object, to explain, defend and apply some part of the system of divine truth; or to point out the nature, and state the bounds and obligation, of some duty.  A text should not be merely a motto, but should fairly contain the doctrine proposed to be handled.  It is proper also that large portions of Scripture be sometimes expounded, and particularly improved, for the instruction of the people in the meaning and use of the sacred Scriptures.

53-3. Preaching requires much study, meditation, and prayer, and ministers should prepare their sermons with care, and not indulge themselves in loose, extemporary harangues, nor serve God with that which costs them naught.  They should, however, keep to the simplicity of the Gospel, and express themselves in language that can be understood by all.  They should also by their lives adorn the Gospel which they preach, and be examples to believers in word and deed.

53-4. As a primary design of public ordinances is to unite the people in acts of common worship of the most high God, ministers should be careful not to make their sermons so long as to interfere with or exclude the important duties of prayer and praise, but should preserve a just proportion in the several parts of public worship.

53-5. By way of application of the sermon the minister may urge his hearers by commandment or invitation to repent of their sins, to put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and to confess him publicly before men.

53-6. No person should be invited to preach in any of the churches under our care without the consent of the Session.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

The Worship of God by Offerings

54-1. The Holy Scriptures teach that God is the owner of all persons and all things and that we are but stewards of both life and possessions; that God’s ownership and our stewardship should be acknowledged; that this acknowledgement should take the form, in part, of giving at least a tithe of our income and other offerings to the work of the Lord through the Church of Jesus Christ, thus worshipping the Lord with our possessions; and that the remainder should be used as becomes Christians.

54-2. It is both a privilege and a duty, plainly enjoined in the Bible, to make regular, weekly, systematic and proportionate offerings for the support of religion and for the propagation of the Gospel in our own and foreign lands, and for the relief of the poor.  This should be done as an exercise of grace and an act of worship, and at such time during the service as may be deemed expedient by the Session.

54-3. It is appropriate that the offerings be dedicated by prayer.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Confessing the Faith

55-1. It is proper for the congregation of God’s people publicly to confess their faith, using creeds or confessions that are true to the Word, such as, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, or the Westminster Standards.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

The Administration of Baptism

The Baptism of Infants and Children

56-1. Baptism is not to be unnecessarily delayed; not to be administered, in any case, by any private person; but by a minister of Christ, called to be the steward of the mysteries of God.

56-2. It is not to be privately administered, but in the presence of the congregation under the supervision of the Session.

56-3. After previous notice is given to the minister, the child to be baptized is to be presented, by one or both the parents, or some other responsible person, signifying the desire that the child be baptized.

56-4. Before baptism, the minister is to use some words of instruction, touching the institution, nature, use, and ends of this sacrament, showing:

a. That it is instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ;

b. That it is a seal of the Covenant of Grace, of our ingrafting into Christ, and of our union with Him, of remission of sins, regeneration, adoption, and life eternal;

c. That the water, in baptism, represents and signifies both the blood of Christ, which taketh away all guilt of sin, original and actual; and the sanctifying virtue of the Spirit of Christ against the dominion of sin, and the corruption of our sinful nature;

d. That baptizing, or sprinkling and washing with water, signifies the cleansing from sin by the blood and for the merit of Christ, together with the mortification of sin, and rising from sin to newness of life, by virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ;

e. That the promise is made to believers and their children; and that the children of believers have an interest in the covenant, and right to the seal of it, and to the outward privileges of the Church, under the Gospel, no less than the children of Abraham in the time of the Old Testament; the Covenant of Grace, for substance, being the same; and the grace of God, and the consolation of believers, more plentiful than before;

f. That the Son of God admitted little children into His presence, embracing and blessing them, saying, “For of such is the kingdom of God”;

g. That children by Baptism, are solemnly received into the bosom of the Visible Church, distinguished from the world, and them that are without, and united with believers; and that all who are baptized in the name of Christ, do renounce, and by their Baptism are bound to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh;

h. That they are federally holy before Baptism, and therefore are they baptized;

i. That the inward grace and virtue of Baptism is not tied to that very moment of time wherein it is administered; and that the fruit and power thereof reaches to the whole course of our life; and that outward baptism is not so necessary, that through the want thereof, the infant is in danger of damnation;

j. By virtue of being children of believing parents they are, because of God’s covenant ordinance, made members of the Church, but this is not sufficient to make them continue members of the Church.  When they have reached the age of discretion, they become subject to obligations of the covenant:  faith, repentance and obedience.  They then make public confession of their faith in Christ, or become covenant breakers, and subject to the discipline of the Church.

In these or the like instructions, the minister is to use his own liberty and godly wisdom, as the ignorance or errors in the doctrine of Baptism, and the edification of the people, shall require.

He is also to admonish all that are present to look back to their Baptism, to repent of their sins against their covenant with God; to stir up their faith; to improve and make right use of their Baptism, and of the covenant sealed between God and their soul.

He is to exhort the parent to consider the great mercy of God to him and his child; to bring up the child in the knowledge of the grounds of the Christian religion, and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and to let him know the danger of God’s wrath to himself and child, if he be negligent; requiring his solemn promise for the performance of his duty.

The minister is also to exhort the parents to the careful performance of their duty, requiring:

a. That they teach the child to read the Word of God;

b. that they instruct him in the principles of our holy religion, as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, an excellent summary of which we have in the Confession of Faith, and in the Larger and Shorter Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly, which are to be recommended to them as adopted by the Church, for their direction and assistance, in the discharge of this important duty;

c. that they pray with and for him;

d. that they set an example of piety and godliness before him; and endeavor, by all the means of God’s appointment, to bring up their child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

56-5. The minister shall then read the covenant promises:

For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.  And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.  Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.  (Acts 2:39; Gen. 17:7; Acts 16:31)

The minister shall then propose the following questions:

1. Do you acknowledge your child’s need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?

2. Do you claim God’s covenant promises in (his) behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for (his) salvation, as you do for your own?

3. Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before (him) a godly example, that you will pray with and for (him), that you will teach (him) the doctrines of our holy religion, and that you will strive, by all the means of God’s appointment, to bring (him) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

To the congregation (optional):

Do you as a congregation undertake the responsibility of assisting the parents in the Christian nurture of this child?

56-6 Then the minister is to pray for a blessing to attend this ordinance, after which, calling the child by name, he shall say:

I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

As he pronounces these words, he is to baptize the child with water, by pouring or sprinkling it on the head of the child, without adding any other ceremony; and the whole shall be concluded with prayer.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances

57-1. Believers’ children within the Visible Church, and especially those dedicated to God in Baptism, are non-communing members under the care of the Church.  They are to be taught to love God, and to obey and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.  When they are able to understand the Gospel, they should be earnestly reminded that they are members of the Church by birthright, and that it is their duty and privilege personally to accept Christ, to confess Him before men, and to seek admission to the Lord’s Supper.

57-2. The time when young persons come to understand the Gospel cannot be precisely fixed.  This must be left to the prudence of the Session, whose office it is to judge, after careful examination, the qualifications of those who apply for admission to sealing ordinances.

57-3. When unbaptized persons apply for admission into the Church, they shall, ordinarily, after giving satisfaction with respect to their knowledge and piety, make a public profession of their faith, in the presence of the congregation, and thereupon be baptized.

57-4. It is recommended, as edifying and proper, that baptized persons, when admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Supper, make a public profession of their faith in the presence of the congregation.  But in all cases, there should be a clear recognition of their previous relation to the church as baptized members.

57-5. The time having come for the making of a public profession, and those who have been approved by the Session having taken their places in the presence of the congregation, the minister may state that:

Of the number of those who were baptized in infancy as members of the Church of God by birthright, and as heirs of the covenant promises, the Session has examined and approved (call them by name), who come now to assume for themselves the full privileges and responsibilities of their inheritance in the household of faith.

If there be present any candidates for Baptism, the minister may state that:

As applicants for admission into the Church of God by Baptism, which is a sign and seal of our engrafting into Christ, and of our engagement to be the Lord’s, the Session has examined and approved (call them by name), who are cordially welcomed into the fellowship of the household of faith.

The minister may then address those making a profession in the following terms:

(All of) you being here present to make a public profession of faith, are to assent to the following declarations and promises, by which you enter into a solemn covenant with God and His Church.

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

The minister may now briefly admonish those making a profession of faith as to the importance of the solemn obligations they have assumed; then baptism may be administered, if there be present any candidates for the ordinance, and the whole concluded with prayer.

57-6. Persons received from other churches by letters of dismissal as well as those being received by reaffirmation of faith should give a testimony of their Christian experience to the Session.  Their names are to be announced to the congregation with a recommendation of them to its Christian confidence and affection.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

The Administration of the Lord’s Supper

58-1. The Communion, or Supper of the Lord, is to be observed frequently; the stated times to be determined by the Session of each congregation, as it may judge most for edification.

58-2. The ignorant and scandalous are not to be admitted to the Lord’s Supper.

58-3. It is proper that public notice should be given to the congregation, at least the Sabbath before the administration of this ordinance, and that, either then, or on some day of the week, the people be instructed in its nature, and a due preparation for it, that all may come in a suitable manner to this holy feast.

58-4. On the day of the observance of the Lord’s Supper, when the sermon is ended, the minister shall show:

a. That this is an ordinance of Christ; by reading the words of institution, either from one of the Evangelists, or from 1 Corin- thians 11, which, as to him may appear expedient, he may explain and apply;

b. That it is to be observed in remembrance of Christ, to show forth His death till He come; that it is of inestimable benefit, to strengthen His people against sin; to support them under troubles; to encourage and quicken them in duty; to inspire them with love and zeal; to increase their faith, and holy resolution; and to beget peace of conscience, and comfortable hopes of eternal life.

Since, by our Lord’s appointment, this Sacrament sets forth the Communion of Saints, the minister, at the discretion of the Session, before the observance begins, may either invite all those who profess the true religion, and are communicants in good standing in any evangelical church, to participate in the ordinance; or may invite those who have been approved by the Session, after having given indication of their desire to participate.  It is proper also to give a special invitation to non-communicants to remain during the service.

58-5. The table, on which the elements are placed, being decently covered, and furnished with bread and wine, and the communicants orderly and gravely sitting around it (or in their seats before it), the elders in a convenient place together, the minister should then set the elements apart by prayer and thanksgiving.

The bread and wine being thus set apart by prayer and thanksgiving, the minister is to take the bread, and break it, in the view of the people, saying:

That the Lord Jesus Christ on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, gave it to His disciples, as I, ministering in His name, give this bread to you, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  (Some other biblical account of the institution of this part of the Supper may be substituted here.)

Here the bread is to be distributed.  After having given the bread, he shall take the cup, and say:

In the same manner, He also took the cup, and having given thanks as has been done in His name, He gave it to the disciples, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  Drink from it, all of you.”

While the minister is repeating these words, let him give the cup.

58-6. Since believers are to act personally in all their covenanting with the Lord, it is proper that a part of the time occupied in the distribution of the elements should be spent by all in silent communion, thanksgiving, intercession and prayer.

58-7. The minister may, in a few words, put the communicants in mind:

Of the grace of God, in Jesus Christ, held forth in this sacrament; and of their obligation to be the Lord’s; and may exhort them to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called; and, as they have professedly received Christ Jesus the Lord, that they be careful so to walk in him, and to maintain good works.

It may not be improper for the minister to give a word of exhortation also to those who have been only spectators, reminding them:

Of their duty, stating their sin and danger, by living in disobedience to Christ, in neglecting this holy ordinance; and calling upon them to be earnest in making preparation for attending upon it at the next time of its celebration.

Then the minister is to pray and give thanks to God,

For His rich mercy, and invaluable goodness, vouchsafed to them in that Sacred Communion; to implore pardon for the defects of the whole service; and to pray for the acceptance of their persons and performances; for the gracious assistance of the Holy Spirit to enable them, as they have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so to walk in Him; that they may hold fast that which they have received, that no man take their crown; that their conversation may be as becomes the Gospel; that they may bear about with them, continually, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in their mortal body; that their light may so shine before men, that others, seeing their good works, may glorify their Father who is in heaven.

An offering for the poor or other sacred purpose is appropriate in connection with this service, and may be made at such time as shall be ordered by the Session.

Now let a psalm or hymn be sung, and the congregation dismissed, with the following or some other Gospel benediction:

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

58-8. As past custom has been found in many parts of the Presbyterian Church, our congregations are urged to have a service of spiritual preparation for the Lord’s Supper during the week previous to the celebration of the Sacrament.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

The Solemnization of Marriage

59-1. Marriage is a divine institution though not a sacrament, nor peculiar to the Church of Christ.  It is proper that every commonwealth, for the good of society, make laws to regulate marriage, which all citizens are bound to obey insofar as they do not transgress the laws of God (Acts 5:29).

59-2. Christians should marry in the Lord; therefore it is fit that their marriage be solemnized by a lawful minister, that special instruction be given them, and suitable prayers offered, when they enter into this relation.

59-3. Marriage is only to be between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24, 25; Matt. 19:4-6, 1 Cor. 7:2), in accordance with the Word of God. Therefore, ministers in the Presbyterian Church in America who solemnize marriages shall only solemnize marriages between one man and one woman.

59-4. The parties should be of such years of discretion as to be capable of making their own choice; and if they be under age, or live with their parents, the consent of the parents or others, under whose care they are, should be previously obtained, and well certified to the minister before he proceeds to solemnize the marriage.

59-5. Parents should neither compel their children to marry contrary to their inclinations, nor deny their consent without just and important reasons.

59-6. Marriage is of a public nature.  The welfare of civil society, the happiness of families, and the credit of Christianity, are deeply interested in it.  Therefore, the purpose of marriage should be sufficiently published a proper time previously to the solemnization to it.  It is enjoined on all ministers to be careful that, in this matter, they obey the laws of the community to the extent that those laws do not transgress the laws of God as interpreted by the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America; and that they may not destroy the peace and comfort of families, ministers should be assured that, with respect to the parties applying to them, no just objections lie against their marriage.

59-7. The minister should keep a proper register of the names of all persons whom he marries, and of the time of their marriage, for the perusal of all whom it may concern.

CHAPTER SIXTY

The Visitation of the Sick

60-1. The power of the prayer of faith is great, and Christians therefore should make entreaty for the sick at the throne of heavenly grace, and should also seek God’s blessing upon all proper means which are being employed for their recovery.  Moreover, when persons are sick, their minister, or some officer of the church, should be notified, that the minister, officers and members may unite their prayers in behalf of the sick.  It is the privilege and duty of the pastor to visit the sick and to minister to their physical, mental, and spiritual welfare.  In view of the varying circumstances of the sick, the minister should use discretion in the performance of this duty.

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

The Burial of the Dead

61-1. The services proper for such an occasion are: 

a. The singing of appropriate psalms or hymns;

b. The reading of some suitable portion or portions of Scripture, with such remarks as it may seem proper to the minister to make;

c. Prayer, in which the bereaved shall be especially remembered, and God’s grace sought on their behalf, that they may be sustained and comforted in their sorrow, and that their affliction may be blessed to their spiritual good.

61-2. The funeral services are to be left largely to the discretion of the minister performing them, but he should always remember that the proper object of the service is the worship of God and the consolation of the living.

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving

62-1. The observance of days of fasting and of thanksgiving, as the dispensations of Divine Providence may direct, is both scriptural and rational.

62-2. Fasting and thanksgiving may be observed by individual Christians; by families; by particular congregations; by a number of congregations contiguous to each other; by the congregations under the care of a Presbytery; or by all the congregations of our Church.

62-3. It should be left to the judgment and discretion of every Christian and family to determine when it is proper to observe a private fast or thanksgiving; and to the church Sessions to determine for particular congregations; and to the Presbyteries, to determine for larger districts.  When it is deemed expedient that a fast or thanksgiving should be general, the call for it should be issued by the General Assembly.  If at any time the civil power should appoint a fast or thanksgiving, in keeping with the Christian faith, it is the duty of the ministers and people of our communion to pay all due respect to it.

62-4. Public notice should be given a sufficient time before the appointed day of fasting or thanksgiving, that persons may so order their affairs as to allow them to attend properly to the duties of the day.

62-5. There should be public worship upon all such days; and the prayers, psalms or hymns, the selection of Scripture, and sermons, should all be in a special manner adapted to the occasion.

62-6. On days of fasting, the minister should point out the authority and providences calling for the observance; and he should spend more than the usual time in solemn prayer, particular confession of sin, especially for the sins of the day and place; and the whole day should be spent in prayer and meditation.

62-7. On days of thanksgiving, he should give information respecting the authority and providences which call for the observance; and he should spend more than the usual time in giving thanks, agreeably to the occasion, and in singing psalms or hymns of praise.  On these days, the people should rejoice with holy gladness of heart; but their joy should be tempered with reverence, that they indulge in no excess or unbecoming levity.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Christian Life in the Home

63-1. In addition to public worship, it is the duty of each person in secret, and of every family in private, to worship God.

63-2. Secret worship is most plainly enjoined by our Lord.  In this duty everyone, apart, should spend some time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, holy meditation, and serious self-examination.  The many advantages arising from a conscientious performance of these duties are best known to those who are found in the faithful discharge of them.

63-3. Family worship, which should be observed by every family, consists in prayer, reading the Scriptures, and singing praises; or in some briefer form of outspoken recognition of God.

63-4. Parents should instruct their children in the Word of God, and in the principles of our holy religion.  The reading of devotional literature should be encouraged and every proper opportunity should be embraced for religious instruction.

63-5. Parents should set an example of piety and consistent living before the family.  Unnecessary private visits on the Lord’s Day and indulgence in practices injurious to the spiritual life of the family, should be avoided.

63-6. In the supreme task of religious education, parents should co-operate with the Church by setting their children an example in regular and punctual attendance upon the sessions of the church school and the services of the sanctuary, by assisting them in the preparation of their lessons, and by leading them in the consistent application of the teachings of the Gospel in their daily activities.